Sunday, October 21, 2012

A couple of short bits

I returned yesterday from a couple weeks in Oregon with Mike and stopped in the Owens Valley on the way back for the quail opener. It was a warm day but we got into a few coveys and had some nice dog work before 10.00. A couple of stellar moments ...

A sharpshin hawk was already working the area for quail when we arrived. It seemed to welcome another hunter, slowly floating by within 20 feet of me at one point. Soon after that it stooped on a quail that flushed wild, but the quail had a good head of steam and was headed down hill, so the hawk lost that race. A few minutes later I killed a quail that dropped on open ground 30 yards below and to my left. As I walked to pick it up the hawk stooped past me, grabbed the quail on the fly, and continued down the hill. Tres cool.

Also, I shot (at) my first bird over a Maggie point. She had quickly figured out that there were birds hiding in the low scrub and ran from bush to bush looking for scent. She found a a bird that way, and held point for 10 seconds or so as I walked towards her, and I took a shot when the quail broke. Wish I could say that I killed that bird, but I shot over the downhill quartering bird. Anyway, Maggie is clearly on her way to a great career.

Operating philosophy

The photo behind the title header was made by Clair Kofoed in NE Oregon several years ago - Jesse pointing, Huns flushing, and me thinking about the camera and shooting behind.

This century's quotes

"Over the long haul of life on this planet, it is the ecologists, and not the bookkeepers of business, who are the ultimate accountants."

- Stewart Udall, 1970

"Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end"

Search Living with Bird Dogs

Contributors

Mike's October Toby

"Ted" Wenaha High Ryder

Ted is a from Crockett/Sunrise lines, with some Cover Dog blood from his dam's side. Ted has earned eight shooting dog placements in his career, and has a lot of wild birds shot over his points.

"Cody" - Wenaha Code Red

Cody is from Jetsetter X Johnny's Jewel. He has wins at the Western Open AA Derby Classic, the Oregon Shooting Dog CH AA derby, was R-U CH in the 2015 Pacific Coast CH and the 2015 California Quail CH.

"Andy" Wenaha Black Storm

Andy is 16 months old - a son of Tekoa Mountain Patriot X Iron Mistress - a daughter of Grid Iron.

"L.J." Wenaha Little John

L.J. is by Cody and Crockett's Prairie Breeze, a daughter of Crockett's Deep Freeze. He is just a year old and is in development.